In-App Purchase Guidelines: Apple and Google Requirements

When Platform Billing Is Required

You must use Apple IAP or Google Play Billing for: premium app features, virtual currencies and items, subscription content or services, ad removal, and any digital content consumed within the app. Exempt from platform billing: physical goods and services, person-to-person services, content consumed outside the app, and certain professional services.

Subscription Presentation Rules

If your app offers subscriptions, you must: clearly display the price and billing frequency before the purchase screen, show the full subscription terms (auto-renewal, cancellation policy), provide a link to manage/cancel the subscription, display any introductory pricing terms clearly, and implement restore purchases. Apple requires specific UI elements for subscription management. Google requires disclosure of auto-renewal terms on the purchase screen.

Common IAP Mistakes

Using Stripe or PayPal for digital goods (must use platform billing), hiding the subscription price until after signup, not implementing restore purchases for non-consumables, offering different pricing on your website to circumvent platform fees (Apple explicitly prohibits in-app references to cheaper external pricing), and not testing the complete purchase flow in sandbox mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources